The Randolph Harley Power Plant on St. Thomas.
On Monday, Government House Communications Director Richard Motta announced that a 60-day extension to the current state of energy emergency is being requested by Governor Albert Bryan Jr.
Mr. Motta disclosed the development while addressing the current power rotations being implemented in the St. Thomas/St. John district. “These outages have been deeply frustrating and disruptive to our daily lives and overall quality of life,” said Mr. Motta, reassuring residents that “the governor understands the impact on your homes, businesses and families, and he shares your frustration.”
Since the first declaration of a state of emergency specifically relating to the Water and Power Authority’s operational struggles back in April, “significant progress has been made,” Mr. Motta said. “The incident command team, the administration is pushing forward to overcome financial hurdles and secure a reliable power system to continue these efforts,” he continued. Despite the progress, “many critical issues still require attention,” Mr. Motta admitted.
Extending the state of emergency a second time, to end on November 19 would “allow the administration to expedite critical actions and further stabilize WAPA,” Mr. Motta explained, saying that Governor Bryan is asking for the community’s “continued patience and trust as we work to resolve and restore reliable power.”
